What if a congregation was totally honest?

Churches talk a lot about hospitality. Most take it seriously, at least toward people they like. Some are sincere and try to welcome all comers -- some are even good at it.

But often, church members tiptoe around visitors. Sometimes this is in the name of hospitality, wanting them to feel welcome and comfortable. Sometimes this is because they are afraid the visitors might find how what they -- the congregation -- are really like.

Here's an idea of radical hospitality -- What if a congregation told a visitor what they were like up front? This is the idea from a recent post on another blog.

What would our honest self-disclosure be? Would it be disturbing? Funny? Disappointing? Real? Would others like find it appealing or appalling? Hard to say. After all, some people prefer phony smiles to real-life complexity. But I think most people would like who we honestly are. But it's hard to put that kind of honesty into hospitality.

DisciplesWorld - September/October

The latest issue of DisciplesWorld arrived this week. This issue focuses on Disaster relief, as we pass the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, there is coverage of the recent General Assembly, including editor Verity Jones' opening reflection and several letters to the editor (one wonders how many such letters the magazine received about the Assembly).

In addition to the articles on disaster relief, which do a good job at sketching the logistical challenges and spiritual opportunities of such work, I recommend the article on chaplaincy. Many people misunderstand the many different types of ministry that chaplains do, in many varied environments. There is also an article about several congregations that have supported Boy Scout troops for long periods of time (as we approach the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Boy Scouts of America).

There is also an interesting personal essay from a retired pastor, reflecting on the murder of his brother. It is a poignant piece of writing, and one which should stimulate discussion. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is a frankly awful essay purporting to show Biblical support for health care reform. I will not not comment on the politics, which can be debated, but just point out that the scriptural interpretation, on the whole, is poor, mixing reasonable interpretation with some Biblical tunnel-vision, with some misunderstanding of the Roman economic system to boot.

Coming Up Sunday, September 6

This week marks the final Sunday in the "Summer Blockbuster Sermon Series," focusing on the film "Public Enemies." The movie, based on the story of how the FBI tracked down notorious bank robber John Dillinger, is a hard-nosed gangster film. The film stars Johnny Depp as the legendary hold-up man, as famous for his seemingly impossible jailbreaks as for his robberies. Here is the trailer:

The gangster film is a famous subgenre of American movies, looking at those who try to operate outside of the law. In many respects it is similar to the Western, which also featured outlaws and marshals who made their own rules in the chaotic Wild West. Such movies have long fascinated Americans, who love rooting for the hero who follows his own moral compass.

The closest Biblical analogy to this type of story is an obscure tale from the life of David before he became king. (Yes, I couldn't let the summer pass without a look at the Jewish monarchy.) After being threatened one too many times by Saul, David flees from the Jewish kingdom and survives as a rogue tribal leader whose troupe robs people living on the frontier. I've written about this time in David's life previously on the blog.

In modern language, we would call David either a mercenary -- if we are kind -- or a terrorist. He acted outside of the (Jewish) law; he acted outside of the Jewish kingdom. In the end, he becomes king. But if things had happened differently -- if another tribal leader had become king -- David would have probably been known only as a criminal. David slew Goliath, and then it all went to his head and he became a bandit. He stole; he killed. He broke his word (to the Philistines) when it was in his interest.

This Sunday, we will come full circle in our series. Having first thought about cosmic good and evil, now we will look at personal good and evil. Who is good? Who is evil? Who decides?

Coming Up Sunday, August 30

The "Summer Blockbuster Sermon Series" continues this week with "Julie & Julia," the recent film based on the best-selling book about a woman who blogs about her experience cooking every recipe in Julia Child's cookbook in one year. Here's the trailer:

The movie, written and directed by Nora Ephron (perhaps most famous for "Sleepless in Seattle," which she wrote and directed), is an odd film that falls outside of typical Hollywood genres. Ephron is famous for her romantic comedies, but this movie is really a twin biography. There are laughs and some romance, but mostly it is about the kinship between two women who never meet.

It seems logical to pair this movie with the book of Ruth, which falls outside of the typical Biblical genres. While it fits into the history of Israel, it is mostly about the kinship of two women, in-laws, who became the backbone of a family.

Ruth famously leaves her own family to continue to live with her mother-in-law, even after her husband dies (and there is no male sibling for her to marry per the custom of the times). She chooses her family. Julie Powell, in the movie, is dissatisfied with her professional identity, so she creates a new one on the Internet, as someone following in the footsteps of Julia Child.

The sermon Sunday will focus on these women's efforts to define their own identities, which is almost as odd a concept today as it was 3000 years ago.

Hmmm...

I came across an interesting video, and thought I'd share it.

Coming Up Sunday, August 23

The "Summer Blockbuster Sermon Series" continues on Sunday with the third summer movie, "The Hangover." The R-rated comedy, now the second highest grossing comedy of all time (not accounting for inflation), is the surprise hit of the summer. It tells the story of a weekend in Las Vegas gone horribly wrong -- the hook is that no one can remember what happened on the fateful night.

Here is one of the trailers:

Where did the live chicken come from? Who knows. The film mines lots of laughs from the completely unexpected, such as the random appearance of Mike Tyson singing along with a Phil Collins song. And there are lots of laughs (many from inappropriate humor) in the film.

How does it relate to the Bible? I could tease you and make up some outlandish tale, though drunkenness plays a role in several Biblical stories, such as the end of the story of Lot. More than this, though, drunkenness is a prominent theme in the prophets, who accuse the Hebrews of being too intoxicated to recognize what's really going on. Jeremiah 23 is just one such passage.

Can the same be said of us? Have we gotten so comfortable with our lives, including our lives of faith, that we've become intoxicated with our blessings, blinded by our wealth, hungover with our relative power? Do we all need a strong cup of coffee (or a whole pot) to wake up to reality?

Coming Up Sunday, August 16

The second film in our "Summer Blockbuster Sermon Series" is the Pixar/Disney computer animated "Up." This film, which tells the story of an elderly widower who goes on a quest to fulfill his late wife's dream, is an unexpected buddy picture, featuring a relationship between the old man and a young Asian boy scout. Here's the trailer:

On Sunday, we will consider some Biblical "up" stories, including the most famous one, the Transfiguration (found in Luke 9). These stories, like the movie "Up," are a special kind of personal journey stories, in which characters go up mountains in order to receive revelations or learn something about themselves.

In the Luke story, the revelation is for Jesus' disciples, rather than Jesus. Jesus is raised off the ground and joined mid-air by Elijah and Moses. And just in case the disciples misunderstand the meaning, the voice of God speaks to them, identifying Jesus as God's son.

We will talk a little about the opportunities we have to receive these epiphanies from God, about our own trips to the mountaintop.